As you get older, oral care begins to present new challenges. It can be more difficult to maneuver your toothbrush or your dental floss. Wear and tear, built up over many years, can lead to damage, sensitivity, and even tooth loss. Elderly oral care may be challenging, but it’s also vital to maintaining your overall health.
Keeping Your Teeth Clean and Your Smile Intact
Regular oral hygiene helps keep your teeth strong and healthy well into your old age. Brushing your teeth regularly removes food fragments, bacteria, and plaque from the tooth surfaces so you’re less likely to develop tooth decay and/or gum disease. Brushing also helps stimulate the gums, keeping them healthy. Flossing removes food particles between your teeth, where your toothbrush can’t effectively reach, and also helps clean just below the gumline.
In addition to regular brushing and flossing, you should see your dentist regularly for professional cleanings, fluoride treatments, X-rays, and any other treatment you require. Professional treatment helps keep track of any problems that might be developing so they can be treated before they become serious.
Special Considerations for Elderly Oral Care
For older people, oral hygiene can be a challenge. If you’re suffering from arthritis or other mobility issues, it can be hard to maneuver a toothbrush and floss. Your dentist can provide or recommend special tools to make these tasks easier.
In addition to issues that can make it hard to brush, some elderly patients have severe mobility problems that make it hard for them to get to the dentist. Some health problems make it difficult to easily keep to a regular appointment schedule, such as:
- Dementia
- Alzheimers
- Vision deterioration
- Being bed- or wheelchair-bound
A homebound dental professional can help make regular dental care easier, less stressful, and more comfortable for those who can’t easily leave their homes. Dental care provided in a familiar environment—in the patient’s own home, or even in a hospital or nursing home—can help maintain long-term oral health, preventing decay, gum disease, and tooth loss.
Contact our dentist, Johanna Caputo at Homecare Dentists today to set up your appointment.